Construction Fastener

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of the present invention include a construction fastener configured to secure a utility box in a specified position within a wall. The construction fastener includes a front portion, a center portion, and an end portion. The end portion and center portion of the fastener are inserted through the utility box, with part of the end portion extending beyond the back surface of the utility box. The front portion thus rests across a front surface of the utility box. The end portion is secured against the back surface of the utility box and the position of the utility box within the wall is maintained.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 60/932,215, filed May 29, 2007, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. The Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally building materials. More specifically,embodiments of the present invention relate to placement, arrangement,and configuration of utility boxes within building materials.

2. Related Technology

Construction of a residential, commercial, or other structure is aculmination of engineering and architectural design and represents thefinal step in an often lengthy planning process. Construction of abuilding may be a time and labor intensive project that generates notonly extensive costs but also substantial profits for many of thoseinvolved in the process.

In order to increase profits and decrease expenses, those involved withconstruction may seek products that improve efficiency in theirprojects. Products that can help streamline the construction process,reduce required manpower, increase individual work quality and/orincrease the quality of the completed task are particularly valuable.

Although builders seek to streamline processes, construction projectsrequire a variety of materials to insure quality of construction andthat buildings meet required legal codes. Utility boxes are one suchmaterial used in construction in areas of wiring systems where wiresand/or conduits connect. The utility box can provide protection fromfire and other forms of damage, as well as prevent tampering and help tomake a wiring system more organized or aesthetically pleasing. Someutility boxes may connect to lights or other external electricalfeatures.

While many products have been developed to improve quality andefficiency in building construction, certain projects still require moretime and energy than is desirable. For example, in residential andcommercial construction utility boxes, often attached to conduits forelectrical and other wiring, are inserted into a wall duringconstruction and must be maintained in a specific position. Maintainingthe position of the utility box is most often achieved by improvisingwith construction materials on hand. For example, workers will attemptto secure the position of the utility box by propping the box up withconstruction material scraps found on site. Such securing methods arenot only relatively unstable and unreliable, they can also be timeconsuming to configure.

What is needed is a reliable and secure way to hold utility boxes inplace while construction of a wall, or other part of a building, iscompleted.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention include fasteners for securingutility boxes in walls during construction. A fastener substantiallysurrounds a front portion of a utility box, with a center portion of thefastener extending through the utility box. The fastener furtherincludes an end portion that extends beyond a back portion of theutility box and is secured. The fastener thus holds the utility box in adesired position while construction of the wall or other structure iscompleted. The fastener may then be easily removed, if desired.

These and other aspects of the present invention will become more fullyapparent from the following description and appended claims, or may belearned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To further clarify the above and other aspects of the present invention,a more particular description of the invention will be rendered byreference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in theappended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict onlytypical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to beconsidered limiting of its scope. The drawings are not drawn to scale.The invention will be described and explained with additionalspecificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 shows a fastener used with a utility box in construction of awall;

FIG. 2A shows embodiments of a fastener; and

FIG. 2B shows a fastener configured with a utility box.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention include a holding device formaintaining a utility box in a specific position during construction ofa wall. A holding device secures a utility box to a face of buildingmaterials, such as a concrete masonry unit, while additional buildingmaterials are added to a structure, such as a wall. Thus, a utility boxmay be maintained in an exact position while a portion of a building isconstructed.

With attention now to FIG. 1, a wall 102 of a building, such as aresidence or commercial building, is shown. In one embodiment of theinvention shown in FIG. 1, the wall may be constructed of bricks, suchas brick 104. Although FIG. 1 shows an embodiment where bricks are usedto construct wall 102, it is to be appreciated that any buildingmaterials, such as, for example, concrete masonry units, or otherbuilding materials, may be used in embodiments of the present invention.

In addition to being constructed of bricks, such as brick 104, wall 102further includes utility box 106, and an associated mud ring or plasterring, positioned within brick 108. Utility box 106 is enclosed on allsides except a face, allowing electrical and other utility wiring to beaccessible through the face of utility box 106. Moreover, the top ofutility box 106 is configured with two conduits 110.

In operation, wall 102 is constructed as bricks, such as brick 104, areplaced next to and stacked upon each other. Utility box 106 ispositioned within brick 108. In order to secure the position of utilitybox 106 within brick 108, fastener 112 is inserted into utility box 106through the face of utility box 106. The configuration of fastener 112is discussed in further detail below with regard to FIGS. 2A and 2B. Thefastener 112 holds utility box 106 securely in place. Additional bricksmay then easily be added to wall 102 without requiring a person to holdutility box 106 in place while additional bricks are added to wall 102.Thus, embodiments of the present invention provide fasteners, such asfastener 112, which improve the ease and efficiency with which a wall102 may be built by securing utility boxes, such as utility box 106, inposition while construction of the wall 102 proceeds. When constructionis completed, fastener 112 may be easily removed, if desired.

Although embodiments of the invention as described above with regard toFIG. 1 include a fastener 112 for securing a utility box 106 duringconstruction, other embodiments of the present invention include use ofa fastener 112 for securing any number of construction materials orstructures that may need to be held in a specific position while abuilding is under construction.

With reference now to FIG. 2A, embodiments of a fastener 200 are shown.Fastener 112, as discussed above with reference to FIG. 1, is an exampleof one embodiment of fastener 200 shown in FIG. 2A. Fastener 200 may beconfigured of any material, such as, for example, steel, spring steel,aluminum, plastic, or any other material. Fastener 200 includes frontportion 202 having side portions 204. Center portion 206 extendsorthogonally from the center of front piece 202 and includes end portion208. End portion 208 may be configured in any way that will enable endportion 208 to be securely fastened to a back portion of a utility box,such as utility box 106 as shown in FIG. 1. For example, in oneembodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2A end portion 208 isconfigured as shown by holed portion 210, with multiple holes throughwhich a pin, zip tie, or any other object may be inserted and secured,thus holding fastener 200 in place. In another embodiment of theinvention, end portion 208 is configured as shown by jagged portion 212,which once inserted through a back portion of a utility box secures endportion 208 through the utility box by preventing jagged portion 212from being pulled out.

Although holed portion 210 and jagged portion 212 are shown in FIG. 2Aas embodiments of end portion 208, it is to be appreciated that anyembodiment of end portion 208 which will secure part of end portion 208through a utility box is anticipated by embodiments of the presentinvention. Such embodiments may include, but are not limited to, tyingportions, adhesive portions, bending portions, and any other means forsecuring end portion 208 through a utility box.

Moreover, although side portions 204 are shown in a configurationorthogonal to front portion 202 of fastener 200, it is to be appreciatedthat embodiments of the present invention include any means forpositioning front portion 202 a set distance from a wall. For example,side portions 204 may be bent portions, curved portions, or end of frontportion 202 that are thicker in width than front portion 202, thusseparating front portion 202 a set distance from a brick or wall.Further, side portions 204 may be hinged portions, pivoting ends, or anyother attached or detachable end portions that function to separatefront portion 202 a certain distance from the face of a brick, wall, orother surface.

With attention now to FIG. 2B, FIG. 2B shows an embodiment of fastener200 configured with a utility box 214. Front portion 202 of fastener 200engages a front of utility box 214, with side portions 204 extendingonto sides 216 of utility box 214. Center portion 206 extends throughutility box 214 such that end portion 208 extends beyond a back portion218 of utility box 214. More particularly, in some embodiments of theinvention end portion 208 extends through an opening 220 located in backportion 218 of utility box 214.

In operation, utility box 214 is positioned in a wall (not shown) in adesired location. In order to secure utility box 214 in the desiredlocation, fastener 200 is positioned such that center portion 206extends through the interior of utility box 214, with end portion 208extending through opening 220. In one embodiment of the invention whereend portion 208 is a holed portion, as shown n FIG. 2B, a fasteningpiece, such as, for example, a pin or zip-tie, is inserted through endportion opening 222 to secure fastener 200 to utility box 214.

In addition, side portions 204 also function to ensure correctpositioning of utility box 214 within a wall. Side portions 204 may beof any length, depending on the desired position of utility box 214. Inone embodiment of the invention, utility box 214 is positioned within awall so that an additional wall surface, such as, for example, sheetrock may be added to the wall at a later time. In this embodiment sideportions 204 displace the front portion of the utility box 214 aspecified distance, such as, for example, ¼ inch or ⅛ inch, from thefront surface of the wall. In other embodiments of the invention sideportions 204 do not displace a front portion of the utility box 214 fromthe front surface of the wall.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or essential characteristics. The describedembodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrativeand not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicatedby the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. Allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are to be embraced within their scope.

1. A construction fastener, comprising: a front portion having a firstend and a second end, wherein the first and second ends hold the frontportion in a position a certain distance from a face of a brick; acenter portion extending from the front portion, the center portionbeing inserted through a utility box; and an end portion attached to thecenter portion, the end portion extending through the utility box andout a back surface of the utility box where the end portion is secured,thus holding the utility box in a position such that the front of theutility box extends out from the face of the brick to the front portionof the fastener.
 2. The construction fastener as recited in claim 1,wherein the construction fastener is removable.
 3. The constructionfastener as recited in claim 1, wherein the construction fastener isconfigured of one or more of: plastic; steel; spring steel; and,aluminum.
 4. The construction fastener as recited in claim 1, whereinthe center portion extends orthogonally from the front portion.
 5. Theconstruction fastener as recited in claim 1, wherein the end portionincludes multiple holes through which an object is inserted to securethe end portion.
 6. The construction fastener as recited in claim 1,wherein the end portion is jagged such that the jagged end portionsecures may not be removed from a hole in the utility box.
 7. Theconstruction fastener as recited in claim 1, wherein the fastener isfurther configured to attach to the utility box through a mud ring. 8.The construction fastener as recited in claim 1, further comprisingmeans for maintaining the front portion a set distance from a surface.9. A device for holding a utility box in a position a set distance outfrom a wall surface, comprising: a front portion having at least twoends, wherein the at least two ends rest against the wall surface andhold the front portion a set distance out from the wall surface; acenter portion attached to the front portion that extends through theutility box; and an end portion configured to extend through an openingin a back of the utility box, the end portion further configured to besecured through the opening, thus holding the device securely againstthe wall surface.
 10. The device as recited in claim 9, wherein thedevice is comprised of one or more of: steel; spring steel; aluminum;and, plastic.
 11. The device as recited in claim 9, wherein the deviceis removable.
 12. The device as recited in claim 9, wherein the endportion is one or more of: jagged; and, holed.